RUGBY NEWS:IRELAND A will take to the field in the opening game of the Churchill Cup against Canada tomorrow (11.30pm Irish time) with the all-Ulster halfback pairing of Niall O'Connor and captain for the day Isaac Boss pulling the strings behind the scrum.
In an inexperienced backline, Boss and fullback Denis Hurley are the only two to have represented Ireland at senior level, the latter having won just one cap and the former having featured 12 times.
Ireland faced Canada just last month on the senior tour and turned in a disjointed performance on the way to winning 25-6.
The Churchill Cup squad sees 11 players retained from that tour and nine of those feature in the matchday 22 bound for Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.
Connacht wing Fionn Carr will start on the right, with Leicester’s John Murphy on the left and a central pairing of Fergus McFadden (Leinster) and Keith Matthews (Connacht).
The pack has a touch more experience and sees the return of Neil Best (18 caps) to an Ireland jersey. The Northampton Saints flanker will be joined by Leinster’s Seán O’Brien and Ulster’s Chris Henry in the backrow.
Devin Toner and Donnacha Ryan will start in the secondrow, while Tony Buckley – who scored a try against Canada in Vancouver two weeks ago – and Bryan Young, scrum down beside hooker Seán Cronin.
Declan Kidney has options on the bench, with tour captain John Muldoon and Heineken Cup winners Jonathan Sexton, Cian Healy and Trevor Hogan among the replacements. Ireland will play Georgia at the same venue on Sunday in the second and final game of the competition.
After a 16-9 win over Argentina, Ireland under-20 coach Allen Clarke has made three changes ahead of the meeting with New Zealand today (11am Irish time).
Rhys Ruddock replaces suspended captain Peter O’Mahony at number eight, while Adam Macklin comes in at loosehead instead of Paddy McAllister and Eamonn Sheridan starts at inside centre in place of Jonny Shiels.
Lock Ciarán Ruddock will captain the side. The game will be streamed live on the tournament website (www.IRB.com/jwc/video) and is replayed on Setanta Sports Ireland at 5pm.
IRELAND A v Canada:D Hurley (Munster); F Carr (Connacht), F McFadden (Leinster), K Matthews (Connacht), J Murphy (Leicester); N O'Connor (Ulster), I Boss (Ulster, capt); B Young (Ulster), S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster); D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster); N Best (Northampton), S O'Brien (Leinster), C Henry (Ulster). Replacements: D Fogarty (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), T Hogan (Leinster), J Muldoon (Connacht), F Murphy (Connacht), J Sexton (Leinster), J Downey (Northampton).
IRELAND UNDER-20S v New Zealand:I Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster); D Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster), N Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster), E Sheridan (Lansdowne/Leinster), M Keating (Clontarf/Leinster); I McKinley (UCD/Leinster), M Healy (Lansdowne/Leinster); J McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster), T Sexton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), A Macklin (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); C Ruddock (Neath/Exiles, capt), M Flanagan (UCD/Leinster); D Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster), B O'Hara (UL Bohemians/Munster), R Ruddock (Millfield School/Exiles). Replacements: D McGregor (Ballynahinch/Ulster), P McAllister (Ballynahinch/Ulster), J Moran (Galwegians/Connacht), D O'Callaghan (UCC/Munster), C Murray (Garryowen/Munster), A Burke (Garryowen/Munster), S Gahan (Lansdowne/Leinster).
